1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for use in wiring a double duplex wall plug.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Double duplex wall plugs (which are sometimes referred to as quad plugs) are commonly utilized in commercial, residential and industrial applications. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a double duplex wall plug comprises two duplex wall plugs 10, 11 which are installed in a side-by-side relationship in a quad outlet box (not shown) which may be located in a wall or which may be surface mounted. Once the duplex wall plugs 10, 11 are installed in the quad outlet box, cover plate 12 is attached to the wall plugs 10, 11.
Prior to their installation in a quad outlet box, duplex plugs 10, 11 must be wired such that each of the four plugs is connected to electricity. The rear of each duplex plug 10, 11 is shown in FIG. 2, and each duplex plug comprises four terminals to which wires may be connected. Duplex plug 10 comprises terminals 13 and 14 which are customarily brass-colored and terminals 15 and 16 which are customarily silver-colored. Similarly, duplex plug 11 comprises customarily brass-colored terminals 17 and 18 and customarily silver-colored terminals 19 and 20. The terminals 13 and 14 are electrically connected to one another in the fabrication of duplex plug 10. Similarly, terminals 15 and 16 are electrically connected to one another in the fabrication of duplex plug 10, terminals 17 and 18 are electrically connected to one another in the fabrication of duplex plug 11 and terminals 19 and 20 are electrically connected to one another in the fabrication of duplex plug 11. Terminals 14 and 18 are, for example, “common terminals on adjacent duplex plugs” because they have the same voltage polarity when electricity is connected to the duplex plugs. For the same reason, terminals 16 and 20 are “common terminals on adjacent duplex plugs.”
Commonly, only one pair of wires carries electricity to a double duplex wall plug. Accordingly, during the installation of such a plug, terminals 14 and 18 are connected together using a first short length of wire and terminals 16 and 20 are connected together using a second short length of wire. The pair of wires which will carry the electricity to the double duplex wall plug may then be connected to terminals 13 (black wire) and 19 (white wire).
The process of connecting terminals 14 and 18 together and terminals 16 and 20 together, using short lengths of wire is very tedious and time-consuming. First, two short lengths of wire must be cut and then stripped of insulation at the end of each short length of wire. Next, the stripped portion of each end of each short length of wire is formed into a loop for engaging a terminal on the duplex plug. The short lengths of wire must then be connected to the appropriate terminals on the duplex plugs. The above process is exacerbated by the fact that 12 gauge wire is mandated for use in the wiring of such plugs and the formation of the short lengths of wire from 12 gauge wire as described above is difficult.